There is a lot of talk these days about global warming. Whatever the cause, there is definitely a warming trend affecting different aspects of our planet, including the wine industry. Lately I've found during tastings that wines of the Pacific Northwest rival and sometimes surpass the wines coming out of Napa. Although it's certainly a matter of personal preference, I enjoy wines that have roundness and complexity. In the wine business, we call this "physiological ripeness."

What does the term mean? When grapes are growing in a hot climate, they may get picked at a certain degree of sugar content (brix). This does not necessarily mean the grape is at its highest quality; the skins and seeds may still be bitter. These wines may have a high alcohol content as the sugar converts to alcohol during fermentation. To achieve physiological ripeness, the grape grower looks for a longer ripening time by searching for ideal growing conditions, such as cool nights, fog, elevation and perhaps a lake or nearby river or ocean to cool the grapes down so the skins, seeds and sugar content come into balance at the same time. These wines will be more complex and nuanced than a ripe alcoholic fruit bomb. So this may explain the abundance of wineries opening in Washington and Oregon.

I adore wines from Oregon and Washington. They can be less expensive than Napa wines, and the lower alcohol content goes better with dinner. Oregon wines are grown predominately near the coast, and Oregon is renowned for its pinot gris and its Burgundian style of pinot noir. Oregon has the fourth-highest production of wine in the states. But even with ideal soil and climate, growers have to watch closely as rainfall at harvest time can quickly plump the delicate pinot grapes up too much, watering down the juice and also making them susceptible to rot. When everything comes together, however, the wines can be magical. I look for pinot noir from Adlesheim, Domaine Serene, Domaine Coteau, Solena and Ken Wright. Some of my favorite Oregon pinot gris are Chehelam and King's Estate.

Washington is second to California in production. Grapes are grown farther inland, and Bordeaux varietals are famous here such as cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc and also the Rhone varietal syrah. Some great wines to try from Washington are Delille Blanc and Estate Red, Matthews Cellars Claret, Andrew Will Merlots and Bordeaux Blends. There is a project in Washington called Long Shadows where the proprietor, Allen Shoup, teams up with famous winemakers around the world such as Michel Rolland, Agustin Huneeus and Philippe Melka, to produce some stunning wines. And if you are lucky enough to find any of the cult cabernet sauvignon by Quilceda Creek, pick it up. Wine critic Robert Parker, of the Wine Advocate, has rated this wine 100 points in the past two vintages, and the Wine Spectator ranked it No. 2 on the top 100 list this year; however, the availability is extremely limited.

What the future climate changes hold in store for winemakers and grape growers remain to be seen. Perhaps we will see wines coming from even farther north and more from coastal and mountain regions. But for now, we can truly appreciate the wines coming from the Pacific Northwest.

Come by the Neiman Marcus Epicure department, right outside Mariposa restaurant, from 3 to 5 p.m. Saturday for a free tasting of stellar wines from the Pacific Northwest, hosted by Cheryl Lynn Mattos of JMD Beverages.

Cynthia Fenner is a certified sommelier and the wine buyer for Neiman Marcus Epicure. Reach her at 948-7557.